Zipper Unfolding

by Erik Demaine, Martin Demaine, Anna Lubiw, Arlo Shallit, Jonah Shallit

Each of these “nets” or “unfoldings” can zip up into the intended polyhedron with just a single zipper. For more about the mathematics underlying these designs, check out the mathematics section.

Art Exhibit

Two zipper unfoldings were part of the juried Exhibition of Mathematical Art at Bridges 2011: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture in Coimbra, Portugal, held July 27–31, 2011.   See their page about the pieces.


Real Models

Polyhedron
(hover to rotate)
Zipper Net
(click for PDF)
Unfolding Video
(click to play)
Octahedron
Cube
Double Pyramid
Tetrahedron Chain

Archimedean Solids

Polyhedron
(hover to rotate)
Zipper Net
(click for PDF)
Unfolding Video
(click to play)
Snub Cube
Snub Dodecahedron
Truncated Tetrahedron
Truncated Cube
Truncated Octahedron
Truncated Dodecahedron
Truncated Icosahedron
Cuboctahedron
Icosidodecahedron
Rhombicuboctahedron
Rhombicosidodecahedron
Truncated Cuboctahedron
Truncated Icosidodecahedron

Mathematics

Talk slides (PDF)

CCCG 2010 paper


Last updated April 11, 2012 by Erik Demaine.Accessibility